


No One is at Fault

by VanillaChip101



Series: The Clones & Their Vod'ika [5]
Category: Star Wars: The Clone Wars (2008) - All Media Types
Genre: Ahsoka Tano Needs a Hug, CT-21-0408 | CT-1409 | Echo & CT-27-5555 | ARC-5555 | Fives are Twins, CT-27-5555 | ARC-5555 | Fives is a Good Bro, CT-7567 | Rex is a Good Bro, Emotional Hurt/Comfort, Gen, Mention of Ryloth, Newfound Respect, POV Original Character, Protective CT-27-5555 | ARC-5555 | Fives, Protective CT-5597 | Jesse, Protective Older Brothers
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-12-27
Updated: 2020-12-27
Packaged: 2021-03-10 17:08:25
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 2,236
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/28370646
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/VanillaChip101/pseuds/VanillaChip101
Summary: When a shiny hears about the famous Ahsoka Tano in Kamino, he mentions her worst mission right in front of her.
Relationships: Ahsoka Tano & Clone Troopers, Ahsoka Tano & Original Clone Trooper Character(s), CT-21-0408 | CT-1409 | Echo & Ahsoka Tano, CT-27-5555 | ARC-5555 | Fives & Ahsoka Tano, CT-5597 | Jesse & Ahsoka Tano, CT-6116 | Kix & Ahsoka Tano, CT-7567 | Rex & Ahsoka Tano, Jesse - Relationship
Series: The Clones & Their Vod'ika [5]
Series URL: https://archiveofourown.org/series/2077455
Comments: 11
Kudos: 71





	No One is at Fault

Ahsoka looked up from her dinner as she felt confusion and awe from two shinies. She watched them as they looked around the mess hall for a place to sit. While they were searching, they made eye contact with Ahsoka and they stared at her with their eyes widened, terrified to be spotted by their commander. She motioned for them to sit at her table, with Rex and the other boys, who were still chatting over their food, not giving her a second glance. They hesitantly walked over with their trays and sat down, finally relaxing after being accepted.

~

Months ago, Flicker heard the stories about a teenage togrutan commander who led her whole squadron to death on a mission in Ryloth. The gossip wheel of the clones would take information and spread it through the troops, resulting in every single person knowing almost everything in a matter of days. He was very sure that the Jedi that watched him at dinner was her. She was probably the only one who fit the description because the only other togruta he had ever seen was Shaak Ti, who was like a parent figure to them all and in no way fitting the age description.

He was curious to know if she was actually the same person who basically killed the clones, his comrades, his friends. He got up from his bed, seeing that he was never going to sleep any time soon, and headed towards the lighted cafeteria. When he stepped inside, he saw that some people were still up, including his batchmate Click. At one of the tables by the door, the renowned clones such as Captain Rex and Arc-Trooper Echo were sitting there, along with other higher-ranking officers. Since he also saw some of his friends there, he joined the table.

"Hey kid, you wanna play?" Fives asked as he started to take more cards from the pile. 

Flicker nodded, and he was handed a deck of cards. In the passing hours, he lost some cards and he won some. He was about to go to bed when the door opened, revealing the commander. All of the shinies, including him, immediately stood at attention. As they saw the higher ranking clones just wave at her, they sat down awkwardly. She smiled at every single trooper, and it was filled with so much warmth and amusement he didn't really believe that this was the same person who led clones to their graves.

"Can I join?"

Rex was already getting a selection of cards before she finished her sentence.

"Of course commander," Jesse answered.

She flashed him a grin and looked around their circle.

"Get ready to lose."

The ARC-Troopers, captain, medic, and soon to be ARC chuckled. The shinies watched quietly, not sure what to do.

The game went on, some laughs and some chuckles heard from the togruta. Some troopers went to bed until Flicker was the only shiny among the others.

"By the way, I never caught your name from dinner."

He looked up from his deck and saw that the question was directed at him.

_My commander is asking me a question. Don't mess up._

"Oh, uh, my name's Flicker."

She nodded as if filing away information in her head. 

"My name is Ahsoka."

Before Flicker could even stop himself, he blurted out one word.

"Ryloth?"

It was like time froze.

Five heads simultaneously snapped towards him as Ahsoka's grip on her cards loosened. Her eyes turned glassy as if she wasn't really with them right now but somewhere trapped in her own head. Those eyes were staring straight at him, seeing but unseeing.

When she had led her squadron to death, she had cried for the first time in many years. She had crawled through the vents to avoid everyone. The togruta had reached an empty unused room and sat there to think about what she had just done, carrying her burden alone. Even when her master said that she had done the right thing (but needed a better way to do it) it didn't help take the weight off much. She had brought her knees to her chest, thinking about the Blue Squadron. She had remembered that trooper in the strategy table and how he said that she wasn't Skywalker, who could always gain them a victory. When the clones found her, she had immediately stood up, wiping away her tears. But when she looked at their faces, all she saw was their concern, which caused her floodgates to open again, and she cried even harder, her desperate attempts to quell her sobs showing to be in vain. All they had done was sit with her, lending her a shoulder to lean on. She was just a kid thrown into a war, the burden proving too much without anyone to really teach her. She had learned her lesson that day, but she was glad they stuck by her, even when she still led more soldiers to their deaths. They might've seen it as a normal part of their life, but she always tried her hardest to save as many clones as she could.

Now, for a shiny to ask about her worst mission without even knowing her showed that this was what she was known for. She hadn't hidden her mission report but she didn't flaunt it either. For it to be spread across Kamino as her reputation made her feel like a lightsaber plunged through her back. It wasn't about the reputation but how the clones thought that she purposely threw away her soldiers' lives. She abruptly stood up, seeing that it was time to pay a visit to the clones' memorial wall. The six other clones were still looking at her, one in confused fright, three in worried concern, and two in angered sympathy.

"Commander..." Fives and Rex both reach to touch her shoulder. She subconsciously backed away from them, and that's when Rex knew the comfort and reinforcements they had gave her those months ago now have cracks for her insecurities to seep in.

"It's okay. I-I have to go. I'll be back soon."

She sent a watery smile towards her brothers. Their gazes softened in the understanding of her need to be alone and she turned away, walking out the door towards the senate building, to mourn the men she lost.

Fives immediately turned back to Flicker, his previous rage flooding back but before he could say something that would permanently scar the shiny, Echo held him back. Instead, Kix faced the trooper, a serious look on his face.

"Where did you hear about Ryloth."

Flicker was already pale with fear. He didn't want to be sent back to Kamino because of his stupid blabbermouth. He had just disrespected the famous commander of the legion he dreamed to be in, and now he was very sure that he was going to be transferred or maybe even worst.

"I-In Kamino. I heard about it in Kamino."

Rex's eyebrows scrunched together as he tried to figure out why the information reached there.

"Do you know what started it?" Fives demanded.

The captain out of all of them seemed the most relaxed. He already knew that it wasn't the shiny's fault. All he had done was say something he shouldn't have, and even though it was an accident, the damage was done. It was their job to fix it.

"I think it was when we heard about the commander from the five-oh-first. Many rumors have been going around about her, but this is the only one I've heard of so far." Flicker replied, still tense with trepidation. Echo continued the interrogation, the others staying silent.

"We have to stop letting them spread rumors. It'll give the men bad judgment. Tell me, what did you think of the commander when you first heard about her?"

"Well they said she was young, so I thought she was inexperienced and cocky. But now, seeing the way she treats all of us clones has me thinking that I was wrong."

"You were right. She was inexperienced and cocky, but only for a moment. Ever since she joined the legion, she improves every day. This is why we all admire her. She strives to be her best for those around her. But sometimes, it's too much. Everyone will eventually fall under pressure, and she's no different," Jesse said, slowly calming down.

"So don't judge the commander solely on her mistake. Evaluate her overall, using her accomplishments, her skills, and her failures. To remind someone of their worst failure like you just did was a wrong move. But one that could be fixed. Now we have to find our commander. Apologize the next time you see her," Rex finished.

The five clones walked out the door, determined to find their little sister and knowing it might take a while. They left Flicker to his own thoughts.

_I have to somehow make this right._

~

"Why didn't you let me talk the shiny down? He disrespected her!"

"It's not his fault. It's nobody's fault. People make mistakes; he just took the wrong choice," Rex replied, used to Fives's rants.

"The commander shouldn't have to go through this! She should be having a normal life, one without war. The death of her soldiers is going to be the cause of something bad and this time, we might not be able to be there to help," Fives exclaimed.

It was silent after that. No one dared say anything aloud.

_They shouldn't be living like this either. Bred for war, living like every day was their last day, it just wasn't right._

Echo broke the silence.

"So...where do you think our vod'ika would be at?"

What they didn't expect was for her to be miles from the barracks, standing silently, staring at the memorial wall.

They stood beside her like they always did, a moment of silence for the soldiers' sacrifice. She was holding the reports of the casualties from all the battles, the ones who died from her mistakes.

She looked up at the wall.

"Ni su'cuyi, gar kyr'adyc, ni partayli, gar darasuum [I'm still alive, but you are dead. I remember you, so you are eternal] Axe, Swoop, Tucker, Kickback, Slammer, Denal...." Ahsoka kept reciting, spilling out every named and unnamed sacrifice.

The clones repeated the phrase into the solemn night, their presence like a silent shoulder on the togruta's shoulders.

"Mi bhat'si ke dau du sa'daar yhe'na dr' ke ghe vhee tah [I pray to let my brothers survive or to go in peace]. She vowed under her breath, low enough so only the twinkling stars could hear. 

~

"Commander!"

Ahsoka turned around just in time to see Flicker catch up to her, saluting respectfully. She nodded at him, seeing that he survived his first battle fought. It was a difficult one, but with the new shinies following the chain of command, everything worked out spectacularly.

"Good to see you Flicker. What can I do for you?"

Flicker slowly breathed in and out. He had practiced his lines all night, reciting them to Click. Click still wasn't very convinced that Ahsoka was a good commander, even when the superiors obviously trust her. Someone would prove him wrong if he couldn't change his batchmate's opinion.

"I wanted to apologize for my behavior last week."

He paused. Ahsoka's eyes widened minutely in surprise. He took this as a sign to keep going.

"I was curious to know about the Ryloth mission and why the soldiers died. It wasn't my intention to offend you. Many people talk about you, and there are many different opinions. My opinion was based on rumors that were mostly built on lies. I assumed that you were another person who thought we were just unthinking droids, created to fight and die for the Republic. I thought you didn't care if we died, wouldn't care for the identities we created for ourselves, wouldn't grieve for our sacrifices. But you do. You were the person who would spend time to be with the men, to laugh with them, tend to the wounded, and much more. From the moment I fought in the battle, I realized, that it's an honor to serve with someone like you."

He let out a small breath as he searched the commander's face for her reaction. Her eyes held so much emotion, more than he thought was possible to convey. Her genuine smile and bow of her head told him that he said the right things.

He saluted again, shoulders back and head held high, a proud soldier saluting their commander. She saluted back and when they both put their hands down, she spoke.

"Flicker, you don't know how much that meant to me. As a Jedi commander, it's complicated. But to have a family, the vode, the Jedi; it just feels good to know that my mistakes will be forgiven. I am grateful for your change of thought about me, how you gave me a second chance, and I'm glad you were honest through all of it. We are lucky to have a trooper like you. Welcome to the five-oh-first, vod'ika."

With that, she patted his shoulder twice, and turned around to continue her path, her morale boosted to fight even harder to lessen the casualties of her found family.

Flicker vowed to be the best soldier he could right then and there.


End file.
